מַכְבֵּר
a grate
Definition
מַכְבֵּר (makbêr) refers specifically to the bronze grate or network that was part of the altar of burnt offering in the Tabernacle. It was a substantial, perforated metal structure, likely a grid or lattice, that held the sacrificial offerings above the fire on the altar. This grate is mentioned exclusively in the construction and assembly instructions for the Tabernacle in Exodus, where it is described as being positioned under the ledge of the altar (Exodus 27:4-5, 38:4). Its function was both practical, allowing air to circulate for the fire, and integral to the sacrificial system.
Biblical Usage
This word is used six times, all within the book of Exodus (Exodus 27:4, 35:16, 38:4, 38:5, 38:30, 39:39). Its usage is strictly technical and cultic, appearing only in the detailed divine instructions for building the Tabernacle's altar and in the subsequent report of its construction. There is no variation in meaning across these passages; it consistently denotes this specific, sacred furnishing.
Etymology
Derived from the root כָּבַר (kāvar, H3527), which carries a sense of 'interweaving' or 'plaiting,' and by extension, 'covering.' This root is also seen in כְּבָרָה (kebārâ, H3531), meaning a 'sieve' or 'net.' Thus, the etymology points to an object made of interwoven or latticed material, perfectly describing the grate's constructed form.
Semantic Range
The מַכְבֵּר is theologically significant as the precise location where the sacrificial animals were consumed by fire, making it central to the symbolism of atonement and divine judgment. Its construction from the bronze of the censers of Korah's rebellious followers (Exodus 38:30, cf. Numbers 16) adds a layer of meaning, transforming an instrument of rebellion into a holy component of God's altar. This highlights God's sovereignty and His ability to redeem and repurpose even sin for His holy purposes. Understanding this object enriches the reading of the sacrificial texts, grounding the abstract concept of atonement in a tangible, divinely-ordained instrument.
In its ancient Near Eastern context, altars for sacrifices were common, but the specific design of the Israelite altar with its integrated bronze grate was unique to Yahweh's worship. This grate was not a simple cooking rack; it was a massive, durable fixture made of bronze, a material associated with judgment in the biblical symbolism. Its construction required skilled metalworking, reflecting the value and permanence assigned to the worship system God established.
מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbēach, H4196) — This is the 'altar' itself, of which the מַכְבֵּר was a key component. רֶשֶׁת (resheth, H7565) — A more general term for a 'net' or 'network,' sharing the conceptual idea of a woven lattice but not specific to the cultic context.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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